The cancellation of this year's TT may be a blow for
many within the Island's tourist industry, but it hasn't stopped the owner of
the Island's largest T-shirt supplier from looking on the bright side. Mervyn
Hill, owner of Promenade Shirts and Embroidery Ltd, Queen's Promenade, Douglas,
has printed specially-designed TT cancelled T-shirts and he hopes they become
collectors' items.

'You have to look at the best of everything and I
hope the shirts we have produced become mementoes of the races which never went
ahead,' he said.

'We normally sell more than 10,000 replica TT shirts
each year but we stopped printing at 3,000 last month when it became likely the
festival would be cancelled.

'After last week's confirmation, my staff
have been busy developing a range of TT cancelled T-shirts which include simple
cancelled slogans across the back to a more humorous one called The Perfect
Solution. It features sheep riding on bikes.

'Hopefully, it will be
taken as a bit of fun because I am only too well aware how much of a problem
foot-and-mouth is and I sympathise with the farming community.

' Mervyn
has also produced an official Joey Dunlop tribute top featuring a photo of the
26-times winner which was taken at the Creg-ny-Baa last year, just a month
before his death.

'The Joey tribute shirts should sell regardless and I
still hope to sell as many of the others as possible here and at other shops we
supply around the Island. 'As long as the message comes across that the Island
is still open for the summer, we remain hopeful. 'Of course we won't be in
profit, but you have to look at the bright side of everything.'